Narrow bezel-type liquid crystal display device

ABSTRACT

An LCD device includes a first substrate including a display region having pixel regions and a non-display region disposed outside the display region; gate lines and data lines on the first substrate and cross each other to define the pixel regions; a TFT in each of the pixel regions; a pixel electrode in each pixel region and connected to the TFT; a second substrate disposed opposite the first substrate; a color filter layer on the second substrate; a common electrode; a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates; and an FPC connected to the non-display region on one side of the first substrate, the FPC being bent toward an outer side surface of the second substrate, wherein each of the gate lines has a double structure including a first layer of a transparent conductive material and a second layer of Cu or Cu alloy.

The present application claims the priority benefit of Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2011-0131149 filed in the Republic of Korea on Dec.8, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device,and more particularly, to a narrow bezel-type LCD capable of minimizingthe width of a non-display region to embody borderless products.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

In general, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device may operate based onoptical anisotropy of LCs.

Specifically, in the LCD device, when a voltage is applied, moleculararrangement of LCs may be changed according to the intensity of anelectric field, and light may be controlled according to the moleculararrangement of the LCs to create images. The LCD device may include anupper substrate having a common electrode, a lower substrate havingpixel electrodes, and an LC layer filled between the upper and lowersubstrates.

An LCD will now be described in further detail with reference to FIGS. 1and 2.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the related art LCD device, and FIG.2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the related art LCD device.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a typical LCD 1 may include a color filtersubstrate 30 having a color filter layer 35, an array substrate 10having thin film transistors (TFTs), gate lines (not shown), data lines(not shown), and pixel electrodes 15, and an LC layer 40 interposedbetween the color filter substrate 30 and the array substrate 10.

A plurality of gate pad electrodes (not shown) and a plurality of datapad electrodes (not shown) may be respectively formed on non-displayregions NA1 and NA4 disposed on upper and left sides of the arraysubstrate 10, and connected to an external driver circuit. Gate linklines (not shown) and data link lines (not shown) may be respectivelyformed on the upper and left sides of the array substrate 10, andconnected to the plurality of gate pad electrodes and the plurality ofdata pad electrodes.

In addition, a plurality of gate lines (not shown) and a plurality ofdata lines (not shown) may be disposed across each other in a displayregion DA of the array substrate 10 to define a plurality of pixelregions (not shown). The plurality of gate lines may be respectivelyconnected to the gate pad electrodes through the gate link lines, andextend in a widthwise direction. The data lines may be respectivelyconnected to the data pad electrodes through the data link lines, andextend in a lengthwise direction.

Furthermore, the TFTs may be respectively formed near intersectionsbetween the gate and data lines, and a pixel electrode 15 may be formedin each of the pixel regions and connected to a drain electrode (notshown) of the corresponding TFT.

The color filter substrate 30 may be formed opposite the array substrate10 having the above-described structure. The color filter layer 35 andblack matrices (not shown) may be formed on the color filter substrate30, and a common electrode may be formed on the entire surface of thecolor filter substrate 30. The color filter layer 35 may include red(R),green(G), and blue(B) color filter patterns (not shown) sequentially andrepetitively provided to correspond to the respective pixel regions. Theblack matrices may be formed between the respective color patterns andsurround the gate lines and data lines of the array substrate 10, andcorrespond to non-display regions NA1, NA2, NA3, and NA4 configured tosurround an outer portion of the display region DA.

In addition, the LC layer 40 may be interposed between the arraysubstrate 10 and the color filter substrate 30. A seal pattern 42corresponding to edges of the two substrates 10 and 30 may be formed inthe non-display regions NA1, NA2, NA3, and NA4 to form an LC panel 2.

A backlight unit (BLU) used as a light source may be provided on anouter side surface of the array substrate 10 of the LC panel 2 havingthe above-described construction. A driver (not shown) configured todrive the LC panel 2 may be disposed at an outer portion of the LC panel2 to complete the LCD device 1.

In general, the driver may be embodied on a printed circuit board (PCB)50, which may be divided into a gate PCB (not shown) connected to thegate lines of the LC panel 2, and a data PCB 50 connected to the datalines.

Furthermore, the PCB 50 may be mounted on the non-display regions NA1,NA2, NA3, and NA4 disposed outside the display region DA of the LC panel2.

That is, the PCB 50 may be in contact with the data pad electrodesconnected to the data lines through a tape carrier package (TCP)technique or a flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs) 61 and 62 in oneside of the array substrate 10.

In this case, instead of the gate PCB, a plurality of gate FPCs 61including driver IC chips 71 may be mounted on the fourth non-displayregion NA4 including the gate pad electrodes, and electrically connectedto the data PCB 50 adhered to the first non-display region NA1 includingthe data pad electrodes via a plurality of data FPCs 62 in the arraysubstrate 10.

The LCD device 1 having the above-described construction has brisklybeen applied to various electronic devices, such as televisions (TVs),monitors, laptop computers, cellular phones, and personal digitalassistants (PDAs).

In the latest display devices, maximizing the size of the display regionDA, and minimizing the sizes of the non-display devices NA1, NA2, NA3,and NA4 have been required.

However, as described above, in the conventional LCD device 1 in whichthe PCBs 50 are mounted on the fourth non-display device NA4 having thegate pad electrodes, and the first non-display region NA1 having thedata pad electrodes by interposing the FPCs 61 and 62, the gate and dataPCBs 50 may be mounted on at least two side surfaces of the LCD device 1by interposing the FPCs 61 and 62. Alternatively, the data PCB 50 may bemounted on the first non-display region NA1 having the data padelectrodes by interposing the FPC 62 therebetween, while the driver ICchips 71 configured to process gate signals may be mounted on the fourthnon-display region NA4 having the gate pad electrodes.

That is, the FPCs 61 and 62 to which the PCB 50 or the driver IC chips71 are adhered may be mounted on the non-display regions NA1, NA2, NA3,and NA4 of the array substrate 10. After the FPCs 61 and 62 are mountedon the array substrate 10, the FPCs 61 and 62 may be bent and disposedon a rear surface of the array substrate 10 during modularization with abacklight unit BLU.

In the conventional LCD 1 having the above-described construction, theFPCs 61 and 62 may be bent along end tips of side surfaces of the arraysubstrate 10. Finally, a width w1 of the non-display regions NA of theLCD device 1 may expand by as much as a thickness d1 of each of the FPCs61 and 62 and a distance d2 between each of the FPCs 61 and 62 and theend of the side surface of the array substrate 10, so it is difficult toprovide borderless products having narrow bezels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a narrow bezel-typeliquid crystal display (LCD) device that substantially obviates one ormore of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the relatedart.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a narrow bezel-typeLCD device in which a bending direction of a flexible printed circuitboard (FPC) to which a printed circuit board (PCB) or driver IC chipsare adhered, may be changed to further reduce a non-display region ofthe LCD device so that the LCD device can have a further reduced width.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and in part will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Theobjectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized andattained by the structure particularly pointed out in the writtendescription and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purposeof the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, anLCD device includes: a first substrate including a display region havinga plurality of pixel regions and a non-display region disposed outsidethe display region; gate lines and data lines on the first substrate andcross each other to define the pixel regions; a thin-film transistor(TFT) formed in each of the pixel regions; a pixel electrode formed ineach of the pixel regions and connected to the TFT; a second substratedisposed opposite the first substrate; a color filter layer formed on aninner side surface of the second substrate; a common electrode forgenerating an electric field with the pixel electrode; a liquid crystallayer between the first and second substrates; and a flexible printedcircuit board (FPC) connected to the non-display region on one side ofthe first substrate, the FPC being bent toward an outer side surface ofthe second substrate, wherein each of the gate lines in contact with thefirst substrate has a double structure including a first layer formed ofa transparent conductive material and a second layer formed of copper(Cu) or copper alloy.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and areintended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principles of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the related art liquid crystaldisplay (LCD) device;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the related art LCDdevice;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an LCD device according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of one pixel region of an LCD deviceaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an LCD device in whichgate lines are formed, according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an LCD device in whichgate lines are formed, according to a first modified example of theembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of one pixel region of an LCD deviceaccording to a second modified example of the embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of one pixel region of an LCD deviceaccording to a third modified example of the embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments,examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal display(LCD) device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4is a cross-sectional view of one pixel region of an LCD device accordingto an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is across-sectional view of a portion of an LCD device in which gate linesare formed, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 3 through 5, an LCD device 100 according to anembodiment of the present invention may include a liquid crystal panel101 and a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 196. The liquid crystalpanel 101 may include an array substrate, a color filter substrate and aliquid crystal layer 195 therebetween. The array substrate may include afirst substrate 102, a gate line 103, a data line 130, a thin filmtransistor (TFT) Tr and a pixel electrode 150. The gate and data lines103 and 130 cross each other to define a pixel region P. The TFT Tr isdisposed in each pixel region P. The pixel electrode 150 is connected tothe TFT Tr. The color filter substrate may include a second substrate181 and a color filter layer 186. The FPC 196, which is connected to anon-display region NA of the array substrate, is bent toward a rear sideof the color filter substrate. A printed circuit board (PCB) 197 may bemounted on the FPC 196.

In this case, a backlight unit (BLU) 200 may be further provided on arear surface of the color filter substrate 181.

One feature of the LCD device 100 according to the embodiment of thepresent invention is that the array substrate is disposed at an upperside viewed by a user, the color filter substrate is disposed at a lowerside viewed by the user, and the BLU 200 is disposed on the rear surfaceof the color filter substrate. Furthermore, another feature of the LCDdevice 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention is thatthe FPC 196 mounted on the non-display region NA of the array substrateis bent toward the rear surface of the color filter substrate on whichthe BLU 200 is provided so that the width of the non-display region NAcan be reduced more than in the conventional LCD device (refer to 1 inFIG. 2).

That is, in the conventional LCD device (refer to 1 in FIG. 2), thearray substrate (refer to 10 in FIG. 2) may be disposed at a lower side,the color filter substrate (refer to 30 in FIG. 2) may be disposed at anupper side, and the BLU (refer to FIG. 2) may be disposed on an outerside surface of the array substrate (refer to 10 in FIG. 2). Thus, afterthe FPC (refer to 62 in FIG. 2) is mounted on the display region (referto DA in FIG. 2) of the array substrate (refer to 10 in FIG. 2), the FPC62 may cover the end tips of the side surfaces of the array substrate10, and be bent and disposed on the rear surface of the BLU 200. Thus,the width of the non-display region NA may substantially become the sumof the width of the non-display region (refer to NA1 in FIG. 2) of thearray substrate 10, the thickness d1 of the bent FPC 62, and thedistance d1 between the FPC 62 and the end tip of the side surface ofthe array substrate 10.

By comparison, in the LCD device 100 according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, the array substrate may be disposed at the upper sideviewed by the user. Thus, after the FPC 196 is adhered to thenon-display region NA of the array substrate, the FPC 196 may not bebent to cover side surfaces of the array substrate, but be bent towardthe rear surface of the color filter substrate.

Accordingly, in the LCD device 100 according to the present invention,the FPC 196 may not cover a side surface of the array substrate, but bebent toward an outer side surface of the color filter substrate suchthat a bending unit is disposed inside an outermost side surface of thenon-display region NA of the array substrate. Thus, as compared with theconventional LCD device (refer to 1 in FIG. 2), the width of thenon-display region NA may be reduced by as much as at least thethickness of the FPC 196 and the distance between the FPC 196 and theside surface of the array substrate, so that a narrow bezel having amuch smaller width can be embodied.

Internal components of the LC panel 101 of the LCD device 100 having theexternal construction, according to the embodiment of the presentinvention, will now be described. Here, inner side surfaces of the arraysubstrate and the color filter substrate disposed opposite each otherare defined as respective reference positions for brevity. Thus, whencomponents sequentially stacked on the array substrate and the colorfilter substrate are formed at a higher level than the inner surfaces ofthe array substrate and the color filter substrate, it is assumed thatthe components are disposed on or over the array substrate and the colorfilter substrate.

As shown in FIGS. 3 through 5, the LC panel 101 for the LCD device 100according to the present invention may include the array substrate, thecolor filter substrate, and the LC layer 195 interposed between thearray substrate and the color filter substrate.

To begin, construction of the array substrate disposed at an upper sidewill now be described. The array substrate may include a plurality ofgate lines 103 and a plurality of data lines 130 formed on an inner sidesurface of the first substrate 102 formed of a transparent insulatingbase material, for example, glass or plastic. The gate lines 103 and thedata lines 130 may be respectively formed under and on a gate insulatinglayer 110 and extend lengthwise and crosswise, and cross each other todefine a plurality of pixel regions P.

Although not shown in the drawings, common lines (not shown) may befurther formed on the inner side surface of the first substrate 102according to a mode of the LCD device 100. The common lines may beformed of the same material as the gate lines 103, and penetrate each ofthe pixel regions P apart from the gate lines 103.

Gate pad electrodes (not shown) and data pad electrodes (not shown) maybe formed on the non-display region NA disposed outside the displayregion DA. The gate pad electrodes may be respectively connected to oneend of the gate lines 103, and the data pad electrodes may berespectively formed on one end of the data lines 130. When the commonlines are formed, a subsidiary common line (not shown) configured toconnect all ends of each of the common lines and a common pad electrode(not shown) connected to one end of the subsidiary common line, may beformed.

Another feature of the LCD device 100 according to the embodiment of thepresent invention is that the gate lines 103 and gate electrodes 105(and the common lines) formed in direct contact with the first substrate102 respectively have triple structures including first layers 103 a and105 a formed of a transparent conductive material, third layers 103 cand 105 c formed of a first metal material, and second layers 103 b and105 b formed of copper (Cu) or a copper alloy having low-resistancecharacteristics. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6 that is across-sectional view of a portion of an LCD device in which gate linesare formed, according to a first modified example of the embodiment ofthe present invention, the gate lines 103 and the gate electrodes 105(and the common lines) may be formed in contact with the first substrate102 and respectively have double structures including first layers 103 aand 105 a formed of a transparent conductive material, and second layers103 b and 105 b formed of copper or a copper alloy having low-resistancecharacteristics.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, the transparent conductive materialforming the first layers 103a and 105a may be, for example, indium tinoxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO), and the first metal material maybe molybdenum (Mo) or molybdenum titanium (MoTi).

By forming the gate lines 103 and the gate electrodes 105 (and thecommon lines) to have the double structures (refer to FIG. 6) or thetriple structures (refer to FIGS. 4 and 5) as described above,reflectance of external light may be reduced, and copper may be used asmaterials for lines and electrodes to cope with scaling-up.

More specifically, when the second layers 103 b and 105 b are formed ofcopper in the embodiment and the modified example thereof, the LCDdevice 100 may be applied to large-area TVs in excess of 30-squareinches in area. Since a 30-inch or larger LCD 100 has longer lines,problems, such as signal delays, may occur.

Accordingly, to minimize the problems, such as signal delays, lines andelectrodes may be formed of a metal having a relatively low resistanceper unit area. Copper or copper alloys may have lower resistances perunit area, and be cheaper than aluminum (Al) and aluminum alloys.

However, since the copper and copper alloys are less adhesive to thefirst substrate 102 formed of glass or a plastic material than aluminumand aluminum alloys, when only the copper or copper alloy is depositedon the first substrate 102 and patterned into lines, the copper orcopper alloy may be separated from the first substrate 102 and lostduring the patterning process.

Accordingly, to prevent the loss of the copper or copper alloy, thethird layers 103 c and 105 c may be formed as under layers using Mo orMoTi having good adhesion not only to the copper or copper alloy or asubstrate formed of glass, or the first layers 103 a and 105 a may beformed as under layers using ITO or IZO as a transparent conductivematerial.

In the embodiment in which the gate lines 103 and the gate electrodes105 (and the common lines (not shown)) have triple structures, the firstlayers 103 a and 105 a formed of a transparent conductive material maybe provided between the third layers 103 c and 105 c and the firstsubstrate 102 to reduce reflectance of external light.

Since the array substrate 102 is disposed at the upper side viewed bythe user due to the feature of the present invention, the gate lines 103and the gate electrodes 105 (and the common lines) may become componentsdisposed at substantially the highest layer based on the surface of thearray substrate 102 viewed by the user. In particular, since Mo or MoTihas a high reflectance of about 68% with respect to external light, anambient contrast ratio may be reduced.

Accordingly, to reduce reflectance of external light, the first layers103a and 105 a formed of a transparent conductive material (i.e., ITO orIZO) may be provided between the first substrate 102 and the thirdlayers 103 c and 105 c formed of Mo or MoTi in the triple structures, orprovided between the first substrate 102 and the second layers 103 b and105 b formed of copper or a copper alloy.

Thus, when the first layers 103 a and 105 a formed of ITO or IZO areprovided between the third layers 103 c and 105 c formed of Mo or MoTiand the first substrate 102, or between the second layers 103 b and 105b formed of copper or a copper alloy and the first substrate 102,reflectance of external light may be reduced to about 39% or less.

In the embodiment in which the gate lines 103 and the gate electrodes105 (and the common lines) have the triple structures, each of the thirdlayers 103 c and 105 c formed of Mo or MoTi may have a thickness ofabout 50 Å to about 500 Å, and each of the first layers 103 a and 105 aformed of indium tin oxide (ITO) or indium zinc oxide (IZO) as atransparent conductive material may have a thickness of about 200 Å toabout 600 Å. Each of the first layers 103 a and 105 a formed of thetransparent conductive material may be formed to a greater thicknessthan each of the third layers 103 c and 105 c formed of Mo or MoTi.

When material layers having double (or triple) structures are formedusing at least two materials to specific thicknesses, the materiallayers may have different refractive indices. Thus, light reflected bythe surfaces of the respective material layers may cause destructiveinterference due to differences in the refractive index and thickness.This phenomenon may be referred to as an anti-reflection coating effect.Due to the anti-reflection coating effect, the intensity of lightreflected may be finally reduced.

Meanwhile, the TFTs Tr including the gate electrodes 105 connected tothe gate lines 103 having the above-described double or triplestructures may be formed near the intersections between the gate lines103 and the data lines 130 in the respective pixel regions P. The TFTsTr serving as switching devices may be formed by stacking the gateinsulating layer 110, a semiconductor layer 120, and source and drainelectrodes 133 and 136 on the gate electrodes 105. In this case, thesemiconductor layer 120 may include an active layer 120 a formed ofamorphous silicon (a-Si), and an ohmic contact layer 120 b formed ofdoped a-Si, and the ohmic contact layer 120 b may be formed over andapart from the active layer 120 a. Also, the source and drain electrodes133 and 136 may be spaced apart from each other. The source electrode133 may be connected to the data line 130.

Although it is illustrated that semiconductor dummy patterns 121 havingdouble structures including first and second patterns 121 a and 121 bare formed of the same material as the semiconductor layer 120 betweenthe data lines 130 and the gate insulating layer 110, since thesemiconductor dummy patterns 121 provided under the data lines 130 areformed due to fabrication process characteristics, the semiconductordummy patterns 121 may be omitted.

Furthermore, a first protection layer 140 may be provided on the TFTs Trover the entire surface of the first substrate 102. The first protectionlayer 140 may be formed of an inorganic insulating material, such assilicon oxide (SiO₂) or silicon nitride (SiN_(x)), or an organicinsulating material, such as photoacryl or benzocyclobutene (BCB).

In this case, drain contact holes 143 may be provided in the firstprotection layer 140 to expose the drain electrodes 136 of therespective TFTs Tr. Also, gate pad contact holes (not shown) and datapad contact holes (not shown) may be provided in the first protectionlayer 140 to expose the respective gate pad electrodes and therespective data pad electrodes.

In addition, when the common lines and the subsidiary common line areformed, common contact holes (not shown) exposing the common lines and acommon pad contact hole (not shown) exposing the common pad electrodeconnected to the subsidiary common line may be provided in each of thepixel regions P. When the common lines are used as storage electrodes,the common contact holes may be omitted.

Meanwhile, plate-type pixel electrodes 150 may be formed on the firstprotection layer 140 to respectively correspond to the pixel regions P.The plate-type pixel electrodes 150 may be respectively in contact withthe drain electrodes 136 through the drain contact holes 143. Subsidiarygate pad electrodes (not shown) and subsidiary data pad electrodes (notshown) may be formed in the non-display region NA. The subsidiary gatepad electrodes may be in contact with the gate pad electrodes throughthe gate pad contact holes, while the subsidiary data pad electrodes maybe in contact with the data pad electrodes through the data pad contactholes.

In addition, when the subsidiary common line is formed, a subsidiarycommon pad electrode (not shown) may be formed on the first protectionlayer 140 and in contact with the common pad electrode through thecommon pad contact hole.

Meanwhile, the array substrate having the above-described constructionmay be an array substrate for a twisted nematic (TN)-mode LCD devicebecause only the pixel electrode 150 is provided in each of the pixelelectrodes P. However, the array substrate may be variously modifiedwhen applied to an in-plane switching-mode LCD device, or a fringe-fieldswitching (FFS)-mode LCD device.

In an example in which the array substrate is an array substrate for anin-plane switching-mode LCD device, referring to FIG. 7 that is across-sectional view of one pixel region of an LCD device according to asecond modified example of the embodiment of the present invention, aplurality of bar-shaped pixel electrodes 150 may be formed apredetermined distance apart from one another in the respective pixelregions P instead of the plate-type pixel electrodes. Also, a pluralityof bar-shaped common electrodes 152 for generating an electric fieldwith the pixel electrode 150, may be formed a predetermined distanceapart from and parallel to the plurality of bar-shaped pixel electrodes150. The plurality of bar-shaped common electrodes 152 may alternatewith the plurality of bar-shaped pixel electrodes 150. In this case, theplurality of bar-shaped common electrodes 152 may be in contact with thecommon lines through the common contact holes.

Although not shown in the drawings, the bar-shaped common electrodes 152and the bar-shaped pixel electrodes 150 may form symmetrically curvedshapes on the basis of central portions of the respective pixel regionsP so that each of the pixel regions P has a double domain region withupper and lower portions. When each of the pixel regions P is formed tohave the double domain region, chrominance relative to a variation inviewing angle at which a user sees the display region DA may besuppressed to improve display quality.

In another example in which the array substrate 102 is an arraysubstrate for an FFS-mode LCD device, referring to FIG. 8 that is across-sectional view of one pixel region of an LCD device according to athird modified example of the embodiment of the present invention, asecond protection layer 160 may be provided on the plate shape pixelelectrodes 150, and a plurality of bar-shaped common electrodes 170having first openings opt may be formed on the second protection layer160. The bar-shaped common electrodes 170 may respectively correspond tothe plate-type pixel electrodes 150 and be a predetermined distanceapart from one another. In this case, the common electrodes 170 may beformed over the entire surface of the display region DA. In this case,the common electrodes 170 may further include second openings op2corresponding to the TFTs Tr.

Similarly, in the array substrate 102 for the FFS-mode LCD device, theplurality of first openings op 1 may form symmetrically curved shapes onthe basis of central portions of the respective pixel regions P so thateach of the pixel regions P has a double domain region.

Meanwhile, in the array substrate 102 for the FFS-mode LCD device havingthe above-described construction, the positions of the pixel electrodes150 and the common electrodes 170 may be exchanged. Thus, the pixelelectrodes 150 may be formed over the common electrodes 170. In thiscase, the plurality of first openings op1 may be formed in the pixelelectrodes 150.

Referring to FIGS. 4 through 8, black matrices 183 may be provided onthe color filter substrate 181 disposed to correspond to the arraysubstrate 102 having the above-described various constructions. Theblack matrices may be formed on the inner side surface of a secondsubstrate 181 formed of transparent glass or plastic, and correspond toboundaries between the respective pixel regions P and the TFTs Tr. Also,the color filter layer 186 may be formed by sequentially repeatingred(R), green(G), and blue(B) color filter patterns 186 a, 186 b, and186 c corresponding to the respective pixel regions P surrounded withthe black matrices 183.

When the array substrate 102 is a TN-mode array substrate as shown inFIG. 4, a common electrode 188 formed of a transparent conductivematerial may be provided on the entire surface of the display region DAto cover the color filter layer 186. When the array substrate 102 is anarray substrate for an in-plane switching-mode or FFS-mode LCD device asshown in FIGS. 7 and 8, an overcoat layer 189 having a planar surfacemay be formed to cover the color filter layer 186.

Referring to FIGS. 3 through 8, the LC layer 195 may be provided betweenthe array substrate 102 and the color filter substrate 181 having theabove-described constructions. Also, the LC panel 101 may furtherinclude a seal pattern 198 configured to surround the display region DAto prevent leakage of LCs from the LC layer 195. The seal pattern 198may combine and adhere the array substrate 102 and the color filtersubstrate 181 with and to each other.

Although not shown, a plurality of pillar-type patterned spacers (notshown) may be provided at the boundaries between the pixel regions P,and spaced a predetermined distance apart from one another so that theLC layer 195 interposed between the array substrate 102 and the colorfilter substrate 181 can maintain a constant thickness over the entiresurface of the display region DA.

In addition, a BLU 200 may be provided on the rear surface of the colorfilter substrate 181 of the LC panel 101 having the above-describedconstruction, and the PCB 197 or the FPC 196 having the driver IC chips(not shown) may be adhered to the rear surface of the color filtersubstrate 181 in contact with the subsidiary gate and data padelectrodes provided in the non-display region NA of the array substrate102. The FPC 196 on which the PCB 197 or the driver IC chips aremounted, may not be exposed outside a side end of the array substrate102, but be bent to constitute the LCD device 100 according to theembodiment of the present invention.

In the LCD device 100 having the above-described construction, accordingto the embodiment of the embodiment of the present invention, the arraysubstrate 102 may be disposed at an upper side viewed by a user, thecolor filter substrate 181 may be disposed at a lower side viewed by theuser, and the FPC 196 to which the PCB 197 or the drive IC chips areadhered, may be mounted on the non-display region NA of the arraysubstrate 102. Thereafter, the FPC 196 may not be bent to cover the sidesurface of the array substrate 102, but be bent toward the rear surfaceof the color filter substrate 181, more specifically, the rear surfaceof the BLU 200 disposed on the rear surface of the color filtersubstrate 181, so that the width of the non-display region NA can bereduced more than in the conventional LCD (refer to 1 in FIG. 2) toprovide borderless products having a narrower bezel.

In addition, the LCD device 100 according to the present invention mayembody borderless products using narrow bezels and improve users'degrees of immersion in screens.

Furthermore, in the LCD device 100 according to the present invention,even if the array substrate 102 is disposed at an upper side viewed by auser, reflectance due to the gate lines 103 and the gate electrodes 105may be reduced so that an ambient contrast ratio can be improved,thereby finally improving display quality.

In an LCD device according to the present invention, an array substratemay be disposed at an upper side viewed by a user, a color filtersubstrate may be disposed at a lower side viewed by the user, an FPC towhich a PCB or driver IC chips are adhered, may be mounted on anon-display region of the array substrate and bent toward a rear surfaceof the color filter substrate not to cover a side surface of the arraysubstrate. Thus, the width of the non-display region may be reduced morethan in a conventional LCD device to provide narrow bezel-typeborderless products.

In addition, the LCD device according to the present invention canembody narrow bezel-type borderless products and improve users' degreesof immersion in screens.

Furthermore, in the LCD device according to the present invention, evenif the array substrate is disposed at an upper side viewed by a user,reflectance due to gate lines 103 and gate electrodes can be reduced sothat an ambient contrast ratio can be improved, thereby finallyimproving display quality.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in a display device of thepresent disclosure without departing from the sprit or scope of theinvention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers themodifications and variations of this invention provided they come withinthe scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprising:a first substrate on which a display region having a plurality of pixelregions and a non-display region are defined, the non-display regiondisposed outside the display region; gate lines and data lines disposedon the first substrate and cross each other to define the pixel regions;a thin-film transistor (TFT) formed in each of the pixel regions; apixel electrode formed in each of the pixel regions and connected to theTFT; a second substrate disposed opposite the first substrate; a colorfilter layer formed on an inner side surface of the second substrate; acommon electrode for generating an electric field with the pixelelectrode; a liquid crystal layer between the first and secondsubstrates; and a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) connected to thenon-display region on one side of the first substrate, the FPC beingbent toward an outer side surface of the second substrate, wherein eachof the gate lines in contact with the first substrate has a doublestructure including a first layer formed of a transparent conductivematerial and a second layer formed of copper (Cu) or copper alloy. 2.The device of claim 1, wherein the gate line further includes a thirdlayer between the first and second layers and formed of molybdenum (Mo)or a molybdenum alloy (MoTi).
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein thefirst layer has a thickness of about 200 Å to about 600 Å, and the thirdlayer has a thickness of about 50 Å to about 500 Å, which is smallerthan that of the first layer.
 4. The device of claim 1, furthercomprising a printed circuit board (PCB) or a driver integrated circuit(IC) chip attached to the FPC.
 5. The device of claim 1, furthercomprising a backlight unit is provided on an outer side surface of thesecond substrate, wherein the FPC is bent to overlap an outer sidesurface of the BLU.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein a gate electrodeof the TFT is connected to the gate line and formed of the same materialand at the same layer as the gate line.
 7. The device of claim 1,wherein the common electrode formed on the second substrate to cover thecolor filter layer.
 8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a firstprotection layer is formed on the entire surface of the display regionof the first substrate to cover the TFT, wherein the first protectionlayer having a drain contact hole exposing a drain electrode of the TFT,and the pixel electrode is disposed on the first protection layer. 9.The device of claim 8, wherein the common electrode is formed on thefirst substrate, and each of the pixel electrode and common electrodehas a bar shape respectively formed in the pixel region, and wherein thecommon electrode is disposed on the first protection layer andalternately arranged with the pixel electrode.
 10. The device of claim9, further comprising a common line formed on the first substrate andextending to be parallel to the gate line, the common line formed of thesame material and at the same layer as the gate line, wherein the commonelectrode is connected to the common line.
 11. The device of claim 1,further comprising an insulating layer between the pixel and commonelectrodes, wherein one of the pixel and common electrodes has a plateshape, and the other one of the pixel and common electrode has anopening.